Conventional anti-virus programs running on a conventional personal computer (PC)-type operating system (OS) generally run in the background and see all of the processes running and programs installed on the PC. Computer operating systems for mobile devices are unlike PC-type operating systems in that mobile operating systems, such as for example the APPLE iOS and the mobile OS for smartphones running WINDOWS 8, are much more closed or ‘sandboxed’. For this reason a conventional PC-type anti-virus program will not be very effective for a mobile OS. It is the more limited nature of the mobile OSs rather than the fact that it is installed on a portable device, and so sometimes mobile OSs are referred to as restricted Oss. What is needed in the art is anti-virus functionality for smartphones and other computing devices running a restricted OS, by implementing systems and methods that do not require installing anti-virus software on the device itself. Optionally the system may have a light application on the restricted OS to display system actions, or it may use existing communication channels, such as SMS messages to communicate with the user. Even though the benefits are clearer in restricted OSs, the same system and methods are applicable also for open, PC-type operating systems, in case software installation is performed through a remote virtual application store or virtual social networking site.